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Have Until February 11th To Apply For Student Status

A researcher and analyst at the Center for Immigration Studies writes in the organizations' blog that there are still flight schools that are allowing foreign students to learn to fly without proper government documentation ... and doing so legally.

According to the blog, the GAO found last year that in 2011, the Department of Homeland Security allowed 167 flight schools that are not approved by the FAA or admit foreign students under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) contrary to the programs stated policies.

According to a policy guidance document from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office dated and effective on December 11, 2012, "SEVP-certified flight training providers without FAA Part 141 or 142 certification have two months after the effective date of this guidance (on or before February 11th, 2012) [year quoted in the guidance notice, ed.] to apply for FAA Part 141 or 142 certification."

The guidance goes on to say that once the certification has been obtained, the schools will have until the end of their "provisional status to obtain Full part 141 or 142 certification"

The analyst, David North, says that the guidance would also seem to indicate that flight students at these schools have until February 11th to obtain student visas, and may currently be learning to fly in the U.S. without that documentation.